Ken Ham Hates SETI

This is exactly what we were expecting. You recall that we recently posted SETI Is Going Big Time. We knew there would be a creationist reaction to the new, $100 million effort to scan the cosmos for radio signals coming from advanced civilizations beyond the solar system. The creationists hate SETI — the Search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Why? It’s because the way they read the bible, we’re the sole reason for the universe, so of course there’s nobody else out there. They insist that SETI is a waste of time and money. Oh, maybe there’s some bacteria or something to be found elsewhere, but we’re the only intelligent species. Nothing like us could possibly evolve naturally. We exist as the result of supernatural activity, and we’re the only species in the entire universe worthy of that kind of divine attention.

But deep down, creationists hate SETI because know they would look like a pack of clowns — even more than they do now — if any other intelligent species were discovered. It’s the same reason they hate science — they’ve been on the defensive ever since we went beyond Oogity Boogity and learned how to figure things out.

The first creationist reaction we found to the Hawking program, bankrolled by Yuri Milner, is at the blog of Ken Ham (ol’ Hambo), the Australian entrepreneur who has become the ayatollah of Appalachia. He’s famed for his creationist ministry, Answers in Genesis (AIG) and for the mind-boggling Creation Museum.

Hambo just posted $100 Million to Search for Non-Existent Aliens. His title immediately suggests a comparison to the millions he’s spending on a “replica” of the non-existent Ark, but that’s so obvious that we won’t bother to dwell on it. Here are some excerpts, with bold font added by us:

It was announced to the world (and reported on in news outlets around the world) that “physicist Stephen Hawking and Russian tech entrepreneur Yuri Milner are pushing the search for extraterrestrial life into higher gear. The pair said Monday the $100 million ‘Breakthrough Initiatives’ program funded by Milner will harness computer power as never before in a search of the heavens.”

Yes, that’s the news. We knew it would enrage ol’ Hambo. We imagine that once again he’s red in the face, foaming at the mouth, and rolling around chewing the carpet. He says:

The first thing that I predict will happen is that all those non-Christians (and even some Christians) who claim Answers in Genesis should be using the money for the poor when I post articles on our life-size Noah’s Ark construction project will now be making the same comments on all these news sources reporting this — and of course they will also be contacting Stephen Hawking and Yuri Milner to make the same comment.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Then he admits that it’s not likely to work out that way. He informs us:

[F]or the small amount of $7.95 per ticket, you will be able to watch our new spectacular Creation Museum Planetarium program, Aliens: Fact or Fiction? at the Creation Museum, which will address the question of aliens and UFOs in an entertaining way. So for $7.95, you can find the obvious answer that $100 million is being wasted on — all because those involved in this fruitless search for aliens reject the account of origins given to us by the God who created the universe.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Let’s read on:

You can also get the answer to whether aliens exist for free by reading what I wrote about the aliens topic in a blog post last year.

Do you also notice that when there is talk about aliens in outer space, secularists get giddy with excitement? When we talk about the infinite creator God, secularists mock and scoff and often get angry! Yes, it sure is a spiritual battle!

He goes on a bit longer, but that’s pretty much it — just a lot of huffing and puffing. What did you expect?

30 responses to “Ken Ham Hates SETI”

Wait, Ken Ham, who constantly argues that atheists have no reason to be nice people, is arguing that they should spend their money being nice people anyway, and it’s hypocrisy when people don’t demand it? Huh?

Wow, what a wonderful simple world the creationist have created for themselves. Nothing to see here folks and no reason to question anything that’s not in the bible, a perfect solution to brainwash the sheeples. Yet, many people seem very reassured by Hambo’s certainty.

At least Mr. Milner is NOT asking for any donations to search for ET.
How often does Hambo beg for donations? I imagine he has a standing request on what passes as his web site. $7.95 to hear him or one of his minions yap on about their version of god? I’ll pass and spend my money on other things, maybe buy a homeless person lunch.

If Ham was certain that Aliens do not exist, he wouldn’t care what SETI did, or how much money was invested in it. He might chuckle at the waste of money, but that’s it. He gets spun up because he is afraid the SETI might find something. It’s that little bit of doubt that scares him.

Hambo is bitter that the SETI project got a $100 donation while Hambo has had to scramble for the past six years to get $78 million for his ark park. He is still at least $10 million short of what he needs to complete just the first stage of it and AIG is now deeply in debt after having to resort to a junk bond offering to raise the vast majority of the funds for his next roadside attraction..

I’m not a big fan of SETI. Yes it is a worthwhile endeavor, but I don’t want to read about it until they find something. SETI does have potential spinoff since being able to scan multiple wavelengths seems like it would have other uses. SETI was also the first use of using idle computers on the internet to crunch data, that’s been used for other applications. Compared to an ark SETI is already ahead of the game. The ARK will have only one good use, after it is abandoned I’d like to see it become premier museum of skepticism.

Do you also notice that when there is talk about aliens in outer space, secularists get giddy with excitement? When we talk about the infinite creator God, secularists mock and scoff and often get angry! Yes, it sure is a spiritual battle!

And do you also notice that when there is talk about “the infinite creator God,” creationists get giddy with excitement? And when secularists talk about finding extraterrestrial intelligent life, creationists mock and scoff and often get angry?

And do you also notice that when there is talk about “the infinite creator God,” creationists get giddy with excitement? And when secularists talk about finding extraterrestrial intelligent life, creationists mock and scoff and often get angry?

Yes, but it’s not a a spiritual battle. The creationists are drowning in their own drool.

Question for Ken Ham, since we know he is a regular lurker on this blog —

Ken, just how is your ark park going to make visitors better Christians? Now, if you constructed your ark so that it could actually float in nearby Williamstown Lake, you might have a valid attraction, since it would show that a big wooden boat could be built that wouldn’t capsize or break up — as long as the water stayed calm and flat. But no — you’re building it on land, supported by concrete and steel beams — in essence, a barn shaped like a boat. What does that prove?

In my opinion, you could have done much more to inspire others to follow the true meaning of Christianity if you had used that $78 million (or whatever) for a huge Habitat for Humanity project. Aren’t we to teach by example?

Ken nods at “all those non-Christians (and even some Christians) who claim Answers in Genesis should be using the money for the poor”.

Do I detect just the tiniest amount of defensiveness there? So far as I know, Ken’s “ministry” doesn’t actually minister to anyone except Ken and his family. And even Ken is probably uneasily aware of what the man he calls God said on the subject. Is Ken copping flak even from what he calls other Christians – which is to say, other fundawhackoes – about his obsession with the literality of Genesis? Has it been suggested to him that maybe a little more concern with what Jesus said to do would be a good thing?

I suspect that there are murky doings going on within the AiG brand. What it will come down to, as always in fundyland, is “Who is to be master?” Probably Ken will retain control. But if the whole Ark project goes south – which it will – it won’t be control of anything much.

Atheists really believe in aliens??? Evolution?? O.o appalling stuff, indeed… I could easily drop a few scientific facts that completely blow these nonsense up, but I’m sure that the website’s admin(s) will block anything that exposes his/they petty ideas as blatant lies… Science is with the theism, folks, no way to change this reality!